(30-08-2017 08:36 PM)Escape Artist Wrote: So a whole bunch of stuff happened between that first morning potty run I did with Midnight and the "best buddies" picture that Rev posted...

Later on Friday morning (the morning of the first potty run), Rev messaged me saying that Midnight had not ate or drank anything that morning and that we needed to get her to a vet ASAP. She also seemed to have tapeworms, but that was slightly less worrying than that she'd not ate or drank. So I told my work that I needed to leave right away. I cried on the drive home to pick her and Rev up and go to the vet and wondered what the hell was wrong with me and also decided that I'd gotten attached to this dog way too fast.

Got her to the vet and they determined she had kennel cough (she had started coughing the day before a bit but we thought that maybe she had like a hairball or just something she was trying to cough up, not that she was sick) - she was running a fever of 104, poor thing. They also got a good look at her ears - the right one was especially bad. She had two bacterial infections and also what they suspected was a fungal infection. They decided to hold off on treating the fungal infection at the time since she had so much else going on. We described the worms to them and they said yeah, sounded like tapeworms.

So, we left there with an antibiotic for her, ear drops, ear wash, cough medicine, and a four-pill dose of de-wormer for the tapeworms to be taken with her first full meal. The doctor said we should cook up some white rice and scrambled eggs for her, just to get her to try and eat (even though she admitted it'd be difficult to get her back on regular dog food afterward - her main concern was that she eat and so she thought that human food might be enough to arouse Midnight's appetite). Doc hoped she would drink some water for us, but wasn't sure she would. Doc also recommended that we get pill pouches to make pill-giving easier.

Got back home and Rev cooked up the rice and eggs for her and I went on back to work. She ended up not eating even that. She was lethargic that night and just not herself at all. Would cough anytime she got excited about anything. Couldn't even lay up on the couch 'cause it'd stir up her cough. We finally figured out that if we told her to drink some water that she would drink a bit so that made us feel better, at least. She kept on improving from there. Started eating again Saturday, so we were able to give her the de-wormer.

Went to her follow-up visit on Monday and they found a marked improvement in her ear. They went ahead and gave her an anti-fungal to help treat that part of the problem. They said that there is nothing they could do surgery-wise or anything else to really restore the ear to what it once was, but we aren't really worried about how it looks - we mostly just want to minimize whatever pain or discomfort it might give her.

There was so much - I hope I didn't leave anything out. Anyway, her cough is much improved - she only does it every now and again. Her energy levels are a lot higher too. She started bringing her rope toy to us to play, and started playing with other toys that we originally thought maybe she just didn't like. She's very excited and energetic when me and the kids come in each afternoon. My morning walks with her have been going good too. She's usually quick about her business, lol. I do want to get back around to being able to have a bowl of hot oatmeal for breakfast again (at home - I enjoy breakfast even more if I can have it at home before work) but if I would actually get my ass up when the alarm goes off, I think I can. So, not the dog's fault.

This was rambly. The smile part is that the dog is feeling better and I cannot believe the attachment I have made to her. I don't know who I am anymore.

Glad she is doing better.

Ziggy had a type of worm when we got him. Meds cleared that up pretty quickly and he had 'bad' ears. Though I cleaned them as prescribed by the vet I just wasn't making any progress with getting it cleared up completely. I was worried he would scratch his ears off...poor thing. Then Karma started doing the same...she must have caught it from Zig. After some very pricey meds it cleared up on both of them and has stayed under control for quite a while...thankfully.

I am not surprised that Midnight had kennel cough since she was in a shelter. Even if they had given her the preventative when she arrived there it was probably already too late. I make sure mine are up to date on their Bordetella because they go to the groomer about every 5 or 6 weeks and are housed with other dogs there...so far, so good.

I am sure she feels better...now she can really settle in with people who will love and care for her.

(05-06-2017 04:14 PM)Gawdzilla Wrote: ...And you can come get my guns if you'd like to try. I'll take you to the range and give you three rounds headstart.

For you and anyone else here who may not know, as a kind of "future reference" thing... Ask your shelter if anyone around you does shot clinics. Right now obviously she needs to keep seeing a vet, but once she's better and annual shots start to add up and come around, and especially when they wind up being every few months instead of once a year, the greatly reduced rate at shot clinics can really help with expenses. Our vet does at least one a month all year, usually at the shelter early on a Saturday morning. Example: rabies shot at the clinic is $5. Period. Even when my dogs need to go to the vet for yearly heart worm checks I still get pretty much all their shots at the shot clinics.

And by the way, with cats they just leave them in their pet carriers in the cars, the humans stand in the line and when it's their turn the vet goes and gets in their car, takes them out of the carrier and vaccinates them right there, so cats don't have to wait in line with dogs.

Where are we going and why am I in this hand basket?"Life is not all lovely thorns and singing vultures, you know." ~ Morticia Addams"You're only given one little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."Robin Williams

We have the cutest little 92 yo lady in the hospital. She's in atrial fib, passed out at home. Not taking her meds. When they asked her why she stopped taking them, she said "my doctor retired".
LOL. Well that's a damn good reason.

Insufferable know-it-all. It is objectively immoral to kill innocent babies. Please stick to the guilty babies.

My hearing aids have a little rubber cone on the end of the part that fits into my ear. Last night when I took them out one hearing aid came out without the little cone So, I check all around the room...check my hair...no luck. It's in my ear and not where I can get to it. So, off to the ER this afternoon because I can't reach the audiologist - of course it's a holiday weekend, what was I thinking.

The whole process took about 20 minutes including paperwork. A few drops of blood from my ear but at least I suppose it's not fatal. Didn't think I should leave it in my ear until Tuesday.

Can't wait to see what I owe for this.

Sure glad it's done though.

I guess you're smiling because the little cone came out and not because of the bill?